1. Field
The present disclosure relates to busways. More in particular, it relates to a hinged busway.
2. Description of Related Art
The Underwriters Laboratories Inc. standard UL 857 for safety busways defines busway as “a grounded metal enclosure containing factory mounted conductors that are usually copper or aluminum bars, rods, or tubes.” The National Electric Code (NFPA 70) defines busway as “a grounded metal enclosure containing factor mounted, bare, or insulated conductors, which are usually copper or aluminum bars, rods, or tubes.”
Busway housings are required by standard to be metallic. The housings contain both the busway conductors, insulation between the conductors, and the bus bar supports. The housings may also act as part or whole of the support for the bus bars. Since the housing provides support for the bus bars, the housing should have sufficient strength to withstand forces incurred when the busway section incurs a fault.
Standard busway housings are made from more than one formed metal sections. The sections are normally secured together with bolts or rivets. The method of securing sections takes time to assemble. Hardware should also be spaced along the busway. Additional hardware would provide more support for the bus bars, but would add additional cost to the busway system.